Action Research and How We Can Use it to Our Advantage

Action research is research done by an individual or group of people to solve an immediate process using reflection.  Action research follows many of the steps of the scientific method used during experimentation.  Action research involves discovering a problem, proposing a solution, review available research, put solution into action, analyze data, draw a conclusion and revise plan.  Action research is much more than just reviewing articles and reading books,, it is taking this information and putting it to use to solve real world problems.

I feel action research is a great project for administrative interns to get hands-on work in the education administrative field.  Leadership is not a skill individuals are born with or can learn in an 18 month masters program, but a skill acquired through on-the-job training and inquiry.  As a teacher I learned more during my student teaching experience than I did my entire 4 years of college work.  The action research project is an informative outline of how we as interns will get the hands-on training we need to be successful administrators.  It acts as our first real administrative project as we dive into our educational administrative future.  The action research project is the interns first true test of leadership and plan implementation and follow-through.